So many projects that I want to share on here aren't ready yet. I know, I disappoint you, I disappoint myself. But the good news is I'm bringing you some awesome mid-week inspiration to compensate for my short-comings.

In my morning reading I discovered that the inspiration for Marchesa's gorgeous Fall 2010 looks is a woman named Lola Montez, a "19th century circus performer & seductress". Boy did my little ears perk up when I heard that. Nothing calls to me like good old fashioned circus seduction. lol

A little research shows that this woman was amazing. Or amazingly crazy, I don't know.

Born Eliza Rossana Gilbert in 1821 Lola was actually Irish (yes! shout out to my kinsman!)

Her fathers military travels had her grow up in India (I'm imagining "A Little Princess" here) until he died of cholera.

Her mother remarried and she was sent off to school in Britain to tame her wild "exotic" ways.

At sixteen she eloped with a Lieutenant and after five years they separated in Calcutta and she reemerged as a "Spanish Dancer" under the stage name Lola Montez.

Her various affairs brought her in contact with European nobility. This clever girl became mistress to Ludwig I of Bavaria who later named her Countess of Landsfield (so that's how you become a countess) He later abdicated and she was forced to flee.

She was mostly known for her scandalous affairs and suggestive "Spider Dance" (apparently a very sexual dance of some sort). It seems that time doesn't change things too much as we all still love a good scandal and sexy dancing i.e.Jersey Shore & fist pumping! I didn't want to bore you by dragging out every detail of her life here, but geez the woman was married and divorced like five times, apparently had a crazy temper she refused to suppress, and made a life and a name for herself in a time when women didn't do that. She was the 1800's version of a hot mess and I love it.